Giant blow likely to send Scully off for season

GREATER Western Sydney star Tom Scully will have surgery on Sunday after scans confirmed he suffered a broken ankle in the Giants’ hardfought win over Collingwood.

He was clearly distressed when his right ankle folded underneath him in a strong tackle in the first quarter of Saturday’s match at the MCG.

He left the field on a stretcher and was taken to Epworth Hospital. A return this season appears highly unlikely.

Coach Leon Cameron was bracing himself for a lengthy absence when he spoke to reporters after the 16-point win.

“You can’t replace Tom Scully because we know he’s an exceptional two-way runner and what he provides our footy team but ... we’ve got some players who will push for selection,” Cameron said.

“Everyone goes through it – we’ve seen some nasty injuries in the first round and the early part of the second – and we’re no different.

“We found a way last year under some trying circumstances and we’ll do the same thing again.”

The Giants played off in a preliminary final last year after dealing with a host of longterm injuries to star players including Brett Deledio, Ryan Griffen, Matt Buntine and Stephen Coniglio.

Scully, 26, was playing his first match of the season after he missed last week’s 82-point demolition of the Western Bulldogs with a knee injury.

The midfielder’s loss was a sour note in a gutsy performance by the Giants, who claimed just their second win in 13 attempts at the MCG.

YOU CAN’T REPLACE TOM SCULLY BECAUSE WE KNOW HE’S AN EXCEPTIONAL TWO-WAY RUNNER AND WHAT HE PROVIDES OUR FOOTY TEAM ...